Vehicle-wheel.



F. A. FROMMANNL VEHICLEWHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED IAN- 6,4913 1,1 Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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F. A. FROMMANN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED ]AN.6.1913.

Patented Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

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F. A. FROMMANN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-6,1913.

1 ,1 98,433. lutunted Sept. 19, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED strnrns FA FRANKLIN A. FROMMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 OLIVE 0F CHICAGD, ILLINOIS.

FFICE. 1

rnommann,

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

To'all whom it may concern: Y T

A. FROM- Be it known that I, FRANKLIN MANN, citizen of the United States, re

.it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to vehicle wheels and particularly to the class of wheels used on heavy self-propelling vehicles such as antomobile trucks.

, One of its prime objects is to provide a wheel construction comprising separable spoke and rim members which, when assembled in their normal position, will simultaneously "secure a '-plurality of cushioning members in proper operative position for providing the needed resiliency interiorly of a floatingly carried tire or tread-rim.

Another object is to provide a wheel construction permitting of a similar use of a plurality of series of spokes and of circumferentially alined cushioning members in connection with a single tire or tread-rim.

A further object is to provide stifiening members which will constitute a rigid and alining system of bracing for the various rim members when assembled so that'these will ofier substantially the same rigidity as if the rim were made of a single piece.

Other objects will appear from the following description and from the drawings in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary elevation of a wheel embodying my invention, portions of the same being cut away to disclose parts of the interior. Fig. -2 is an interiorview of a portion of the wheel part shown in Fig. l, looking, upward from the line 22. Fig. '3 is a section through Fig. 1 along the line 33. Fig. lis a similar section through apart of a wheel having two radial seriesof spokes. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary interior view :of the rim of a wheel embodying the construction of Fig. -4--. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of a wheel embodying the same construction as F ig.. -4. Fig. 7 is a partial interior view of a rim showing an alternative arrangement of the rim parts. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept 19 1916 Application filed January 6, 1913. Serial No. 740,460.

sectional view of a wheel having the same construction as Fig. 7..

In the drawings, the hub member 1 as mounted upon a shaft 2 has spokes 3 cast integral with the said hub. Each of these spokes 3 has its end 25 reduced in size to match socket formations 26 upon a rim member 4, which rim member is composed of two symmetrical halves adapted to be applied laterally to the hub member with the socket portions 26 in engagement with the reduced end portions 25 of the spokes. When thus assembled, the rim portions 4 are secured to the spokes by bolts 6 extending transversely through the rim members and by shorter bolts 5 extending through the web portions 27 cf'the rim members, these web portions being preferably close to each other intermediate of the socket portions 26. The rim members 4 have circumferentially outwardly extending flange portions adaptedto ring members and of tread rim formations have been described and claimed in my c0- pending applications Ser. Nos. 735721, 734876 and 740459, hence they need not be described in detail here. Intermediate of the socket formations 26,1 preferably provide transverse braces or stiffening members 18 connecting the inwardly depending annular webs 27 with the circumferential portions of the rim members, these stiffening members 18 being adapted to aline with each other when the rim parts are assembled as in Fig. 2

Wherethe wheel construction of my invention is to be used on vehicles of unusual a plurality of radial groups of spokes may be used upon the wheel, these being arranged with the spokes of each series disposed in lateral alinement, as shown in weight, for which wide treads are desirable,

Figs. 1 and 5. In this case, I preferably form the hub member 1 with a circumferentially reduced portion let at one end of the same, one series of spokes 3 being cast upon the full-sized end of the said hub. The other series of spokes 12 is cast upon a hub portion 13 adapted to slip over the reduced end 14 of the main hub member so as to combine with the same in forming the completed hub. I then appl rim members 4: from opposite sides to t e assembled spoke formations and, intermediately of the two series of spokes, I interpose an auxiliary rim member 10 having at its opposite edges socket formations 31 corresponding to the sockets 26 on the lateral rim members 1. The intermediate member 10 preferably has inwardly extending transverse stiffening ribs 19 adapted to aline with the stiffening members 18 uponthe lateral rim members positioned at opposite sides of the said intermediate member.

Instead of forming socket portions 31 upon the intermediate rim 10 for coacting with the sockets 26 upon the rim members 4 in engaging the ends of the spokes 3 and 12, the intermediate rim member may be.

made without socketed portions, but with substantially parallel inwardly directed flanges 24, as shown in Fig. -7-. In this case the ends of each radial series of spokes would have fiat lateral surfaces directed inwardly of the wheel toward the corresponding spokes of the other series, these flat portions being adapted to closely appreach the said inward flanges 24. Then each of the laterally disposed rim members would have substantially U-shaped socket portions 28 adapted to engage the ends 17 and 23 of the two series of spokes.

With eithe arrangement of the intermediate rim portions, which maybe made in a plurality of circumferentially divided sections if desired, these intermediate rim portions have oppositely directed grooved formations adapted to coact with the inwardlydirected grooved formations on the I rim portions 4 in clamping the bases 28 of the annularly disposed cushioning members 7 when the assembled rim portions are drawn together by the bolts 29 and 30. It will be evidentthat by thus forming the alined rim portions with coacting parts designed to clamp the spoke ends and the cushioning members respectively, the securing to'both the spokes and the cushionin members will be effected by the bolts 29 an 30 which secure the rim members to each other, without the need of auxiliary fastenings of any kind. Likewise in the wheel construction embodying a' single radial series of spokes, as shown in Figs. 1, -2- and -:3 the bolts 5 and 6 simultaneously secure the rim members to both the spokes andrthe cushioning members, so that no auxiliary strong.

alinement.

fastenings for the latter are required. Consequently, the wheel of my invention is exceedingly simple, easy to assemble and yet Besides, it providesready access to the cushioning members for repairing or replacing the same by simply removing the bolts which secure the rlm members to each other.

It will be evident that when the rim parts of my wheel are thus secured together in.

circumferential alinement, each laterally adjoined pair of rim parts will grip and support an annular series of cushioning'members and hold them in position for outwardly engaging the floatingly carried tire-member. When thus supported, the cushioning members may overlap adjoining rim parts, while the transverse stifieners or braces will coact in making these adjoined rim parts a rigid structure capable of firmly supporting the cushioning members against which the tire member bears centripetally.

While I have shown and described the wheel of my, invention with a floating tire,

construction carrying wood treads, I do not wish to be limited to this particular form of outer rim or tire. Other forms of rims may be substituted, as for instance, the cushioning tread-rim shown and described in my copending application of even date herewith, Ser. No. 740459. Neither do I wish to be limited to the use of a plurality of circumferentially alined and non-rotatably secured cushioning members, as these might be joined continuously to one another if desired, the efiect being substantially the 5 same as long as these cushions provide the needed resiliency while permitting the tire member to move radially of the hub member. Again I do not wish to be limited to the exact shape or form of the laterally adjoined annular rim parts, nor to the particular shape of the opposed formations which engage the spokes and the cushioning J means, it being evident thatthe same gen-" 1 eral plan of having cushions overlapping the juncture of laterally adjoined rim parts might be used with a variety of designs of the latter. Nor do I wish to be limited to the use of bolts for retaining or looking the rim members in theirsimultaneous spokeengaging and cushion engaging relation with the rim members circumferentially in as shown on the rim members So also, I do not wish to be' hunted to the particular socket formationsthe spokes I I and the rim may be considerably varied in,

shape while still permitting the rim members to be clampingly secured to the spokes.

Icclaim as my invention: F

1. A vehicle wheel including a hub member carrying two sets of spokes disposed laterally of each other upon said hub, a plu rality of rim members each having half no a sockets to receive the spoke ends and adapted to be alined with each other in spokeengaging position.

2. A vehicle wheel including a hub member carrying two sets of spokes disposed laterally of each other upon said hub, a plurality of rim members each having half sockets to receive the spoke ends and adapted to be alined with each other in spoke-engaging position, and reinforcing integral stifi'eners strengthening said sockets and the rim members between the sockets.

3. A vehicle wheel including a hub member carrying two sets of spokes disposed laterally of each other upon the said hub; a pair of rim members, each adapted to engage the ends of one set of spokes; and an intermediary rim member adapted to aline with the said pair of rim members when the latter are in their said spoke-engaging position.

4. A vehicle wheel including a hub member carrying two sets of spokes disposed laterally of each other upon the said hub; a pair of rim members, each adapted to engage the ends of one set of spokes; and an intermediary rim member adapted to aline with the said pair of rim members when the latter are in their said spoke-engaging position; there being stiffening formations upon each of the said rim members adapted to aline with one another when the members are assembled in their said alined position.

5. A vehicle wheel including a hub member carrying two sets of spokes disposed laterally of each other upon the said hub; a pair of rim members, each adapted to engage the ends of one set of spokes; and an intermediary rim vmember adapted to aline with the said pair of rim members When the latter are in their said spoke-engaging position; there being stifi'ening formations upon each of the said rim members adapted to aline with one another and with the spokes when the members are assembled in their said alined position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN A. FROMMANN.

MAE M. BOYLE. 

